Swimming pool systems



p 3, 1968 c. E. KAHMANN 3,399,540

SWIMMING POOL SYSTEMS Filed Jan. 9, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet, l

Sept. 3, 1968 c. E. KAHMANN SWIMMING POOL SYSTEMS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 9, 1967 N QE States 3,399,540 SWIMMING POOL SYSTEMS Claud E. Kahmann, Frontenac, Mo. (11145 Conway Road, St. Louis, Mo. 63131) Filed Jan. 9, 1967, Ser. No. 608,232 8 Claims. (CI. 62-98) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Background of the invention This invention relates to swimming pool water systems.

Swimming pools, both public and private, have become increasingly popular. The temperature of the water in most such pools is governed chiefly by the heat of the Sun and the temperature of the ambient air, since most of them utilize a recirculation and filtering system.

Considerable attention has been given to heating the water, to lengthen the swimming season. Little or no attention has evidently been given to cooling the water. Accordingly, it is a very common complaint that the water in swimming pools during the summer months so so tepid as to leave the swimmer enervated instead of invigorated.

The reason for the lack of developed of cooling systems for swimming pools may well be the problem as sociated with the abstraction of the enormous amount of heat introduced to the water of the swimming pool by the action of the sun, the heat of the ambient air, and the body heat of the occupants of the pool. It is a practical irnpossibility to provide a complete refrigerating counterbalance to the heating effect upon the water of the sun and the ambient environment during a normal summer day in hot climes.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a swimming pool water system by which the temperature of the water can be reduced to a refreshing level and maintained through a comfortably reduced range during the day.

Another object is to provide a method of controlling the range of temperatures of water in a swimming pool.

Other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art in the light of the following description and accompanying drawing.

Statement of the invention In accordance with this invention generally stated, a swimming pool water system is provided for a swimming pool or reservoir preferably at least a portion of which has a depth of at least four feet below the surface of the surrounding earth, which system includes drain conduit and return conduit communicating with the reservoir, a circulating pump having a suction side connected to communicate with the drain conduit and a discharge side conneted to communicate with the return conduit, and a refrigerator unit connected to communicate with one of the suction and return conduits. Preferably the refrigerator unit has a capacity insufiicient to counter-balance the heating effect upon the water in the reservoir of the sun and ambient air during a normal summer day in a hot clime, but sufiicient to lower the temperature of the water in the reservoir during a normal summer night to an artificially low but desired temperature at the low end of the range of temperatures to be maintained during the day. In the preferred embodiment, the drain and return conduits are atent 3,399,540 Patented Sept. 3, 1968 so arranged as to set up a sub-surface circulation of the Water in the reservoir, so that a surface layer of water is left substantially undisturbed. This surface layer serves as an insulating and reradiating layer, which protects the bulk of the water in the reservoir from heating. At the same time, the circulation of the sub-surface water provides a distribution of the cool water, and avoids sub-surface stratification.

Brief description of the drawing In the drawings, FIGURE 1 is a view in perspective, partly broken away, of one illustrative embodiment of swimming pool system of this invention; and

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view, somewhat diagrammatic in nature, showing circulation patterns.

Description of the preferred embodiment Referring now to the drawing, reference numeral 1 indicates a swimming pool set in earth 2. The swimming pool 1 has a central reservoir 3 filled with water 4, ordinarily to varying depths through the length of the pool, from about two feet to eight feet. In the bottom of the reservoir 3 at the deep end is a drain 5 communicating with a drain conduit 6. A circulating pump 7 has a suction side connected to the drain conduit 6 and a discharge side connected to a return conduit 9. The pump 7 is driven by an electric motor 10, and discharges into a filter 12, which in turn communicates with another section of discharge line 9', which is connected to communicate with a refrigerator unit 20. The refrigerator unit 20 in turn, is connected to still another section of discharge conduit 9", which, in the embodiment shown, has branch discharge conduits 19 and 29. A by-pass line 26, with a valve 27, extends between the discharge conduit segments 9' and 9". Valves 21, 22 and 23, in the conduit segments 9', 19 and 29 respectively, permit a wide variety of control of the pattern of flow of water into the reservoir 3.

In the embodiment shown in FIGURE 1, the branch discharge conduit 29 opens into the reservoir 3 near the deep end through directional nozzles 30. While in the illustrative embodiment shown, only two nozzles 30 are shown, other sets of nozzles 30 may be provided at intervals lengthwise of the reservoir. However, the nozzles 30 should be arranged primarily in the deep part of the pool, ie where the water is on the order of four feet deep or more.

As can be seen in FIGURE 2, the nozzles 30 are oppositely directed toward the side walls of the pool. This is merely illustrative, other patterns being entirely feasible, but it is an eifective arrangement.

A multiplicity of inlet fittings 35 are connected to the return conduit branch 19. These fittings, which open into the reservoir 3, are set well below the expected level of the Water in the reservoir, and extend to the shallow end of the reservoir. They are preferably directionally adjustable.

Suitable electrical connections are provided to the pump motor and to the refrigerator unit, as indicated in FIG- URE l. A thermostatic element 40, connected to control the refrigerator unit, is, in this illustrative embodiment, shown as mounted in the reservoir and as being adjustable vertically.

In operation, when it is desired to cool the water in the pool, the by-pass valve 27 is closed, the thermostatic control 40 is either set for the desired temperature at a particular sub-surface le el, or is raised or lowered, depending upon how cold it is desired to make the water, the valve 28 to the branch 29 is opened, the valve 22 closed, and the refrigerator unit 20 and the pum motor 10 are energized. During the night, the refrigerator unit 20 will abstract heat from the water at a greater rate than heat is put in from the ambient environment, and the temperature of the water will drop until the desired level has been reached. The thermostatic control 40 will then de-energize the refrigerator unit. If it is desired to chill all of the water in the pool, the valve 22 can be opened, which will tend to circulate the warm water from the shallow end of the pool, although, because the inlet fittings 35 are positioned substantially below the surface of the water, the top layer of the water will tend to remain relatively undisturbed unless the fittings 35 are directed upwardly.

The circulation of the water induced by the flow of water from the nozzles 30 tends to make the temperature of the sub-surface water uniform. However, the surface water, particularly when it has been exposed to intense heat, provides a physical and thermal barrier layer which tends to remain substantially undisturbed. During the day, this thermal barrier operates to reradiate heat to the atmosphere, in much the way in which the heat shields of nose cones and space vehicles act to reradiate heat and thus to protect the inner layers of ablative or sublimative material.

Accordingly, during the day, the sub-surface water tends to remain uniformly cool, and the operation of the refrigerator unit is effective to maintain the lesser temperature of the water within a comfortable range, in spite of the fact that its capacity is insutficient to counter-balance the heating effect upon the water of the sun and ambient air. Of course, if the water patterns are broke up and the surface water layer disrupted by swimmers, the rise in temperature will be greater and more abrupt. However, in almost every pool there are relatively quiet periods during which the system can tend to recover, and much of the night can be used for effective chilling of the water.

It will be appreciated that the required capacity of the refrigerator unit will vary with the volume of water to be cooled, the surface area of the pool, the depth of water below ground level, the area of the pool in which water is expected to be cooled, the anticipated daytime and nighttime temperatures, the desired temperature differential between the air and water and the acceptable range of temperatures. However, the capacity can be determined by simple calculations once the desired temperature and the actual conditions are established, and, in absolute terms, does not form a part of this invention. By the same token, the desirable placement and orientation of the discharge nozzles or fittings and the velocity of the discharged water will depend upon the depth of water, proportions of the reservoir, desired area of Water to be cooled, depth of warm surface layer desired or tolerable,

economy of installation in existing pools, and the like,

which will be apparent to those skilled in the art for each different set of conditions, or can readily be determined.

Numerous variations in the system of this invention within the scope of the appended claims, will occur to those skilled in the art in the light of the foregoing disclosure. For example the nozzles 30 can be directed inwardly from the side walls, near the bottom of the reservoir, to produce the opposite pattern from the one illustrated in FIGURE 2. The fittings 35 can be so directed below the surface, and the velocity of flow so controlled that they can be utilized alone or in conjunction with bottom nozzles 30 to produce a proper sub-subface circulation pattern. In any case, the drain in the cooling system is preferably located in or near the bottom. Particularly at night the suction side of the circulating pump can be connected to draw from areas near or at the surface, as from over-flow gutters, but during the day it is preferred that water in the gutters be drained out of the system. If it is desired to use a suction type skimmer for the surface, the refrigerator unit can be by-passed and the circulation directed from the skimmer outlet to the suction side of the pump, back to the reservoir through the fittings 35, preferably directed toward the surface. Various combinations of these circulation patterns can be used,

, depending upon what is desired.

Having thus described the invention, what is claime and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A swimming pool water system comprising a swimming reservoir, drain conduit and return conduit communicating with the said reservoir, a circulating pump having a suction side connected to communicate with the said drain conduit and a discharge side connected to communicate with the said return conduit, a selectively energizable refrigerator unit connected to communicate with one of said drain and return conduits, and thermostatic control means positioned to respond to water temperature in a preselected part of the reservoir and connected to control the energization of said refrigerator unit.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein a return conduit connected to said refrigerator unit communicates with said reservoir in a deep part thereof through the bottom of said reservoir.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein a return conduit connected to said refrigerator unit communicates with said reservoir in a deep part thereof through a side wall thereof at a point closer to the bottom of the reservoir than to the surface of the water in the reservoir.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein a return conduit is directed to discharge water below the surface of the water in the reservoir at an orientation and velocity to produce circulation of the water when the reservoir is undisturbed substantially entirely below the surface of the water when the surface of the water is being heated.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein return conduit communicates with said reservoir in a deep part thereof through a plurality of discharge nozzles.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the refrigerator unit has a capacity insufficient to counter-balance the heating effect upon the water in the reservoir of the sun and ambient air during a normal summer day but suflicient to lower the temperature of the water to a desired artificially low temperature during a normal summer night.

7. The method of cooling the water in a swimming pool comprising withdrawing a stream of water from the pool reservoir, cooling the withdrawn stream of water and returning the withdrawn water in a stream below the surface of the pool reservoir, directing the returning stream of water to produce a sub-surface circulation of the reservoir water while leaving a surface layer of warm water substantially undisturbed by said circulation.

'8. A swimming pool water system comprising a swimming reservoir, drain conduit and return conduit communicating with the said reservoir, a circulating pump having a suction side connected to communicate with the said drain conduit and a discharge side connected to communicate with the said return conduit, a refrigerator unit connected to communicate with one of said drain and return conduits, and thermostatic control means positioned to respond to water temperature in a preselected part of the reservoir and connected to control the operation of said refrigerator unit, said reservoir having side walls, and said return conduit communicating with said reservoir in a deep part thereof through pairs of nozzles that are directed toward opposite of said side walls to establish a circulation pattern wherein a current of water moves upwardly adjacent the side Walls, inwardly below the surface of the water in the reservoir and downwardly in the vicinity of the center of the reservoir.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 250,235 11/1881 Guthrie 62-260 660,772 10/1900 Guthrie 62-260 X 2,438,720 3/ 1948 Smith 62260 X 2,996,894 8/1961 Shade 62-99 X 3,169,575 2/1965 Engalitcheff et al. 62'99 LLOYD L. KING, Primary Examiner. 

